Combined suspenders and shoulder-braces



(N0 Modl.)

E. D. PARROTT.

COMBINED SUSPENDERS AND SHOULDER BRAGES.

No. 814,051. 1 Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

FFICEQ EDXVIN D. PARROTT, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

COMBlNED SUSPENDERS AND SHOULDER-BRACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 314 051, dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed December 29, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN D. PARRO'IT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridge port, in the county of Fairiield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and 11:.eful Improvements in Combined Suspenders and Shoulder-Braces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in combined suspendeis and shoulder-braces, and has for its object to provide such a device of this description as shall be simple, readily adapted to persons of various sizes, and which will, when so adapted, automatically adjust itself, so as to perfectly support the garment of the wearer and act as a brace to his back and shoulders without galling or chafing; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the details of con struction and combination of elements hereinafter fully and in detail eXplained,and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may more fully understand its construction and operation,I will proceed to describe the same in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 shows a View of my improvement from the rear. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing'a modified form of buckle and parts of the straps.

A are the supporting-straps, made of webbing or other suitable material, and provided with any convenient take-up device and means of attachment to the garment at front and rear. The means of attachment form no part of my invention.

B is a slide-buckle, constructed with five openings, at b c d 6, so placed as to leave a peripherical band or rim joined to the central portion at five equidistant points. I do not necessarily use the design shown, as any shield or plate of metal with the openings placed as described will answer equally well.

0 is the brace-strap, which passes through the slide-buckle, and is at each end attached to the supporting straps by simple slides,

which may readily move up and down upon said straps for purposes of adjustment. At D the brace-strap is provided with take-ups for lengthening or shortening.

The arrangement of the various parts of my invention is as follows: The supporting-straps A pass from above through openings a I), respectively,of the slide-buckle,and out through opening 0 at the bottom, thus crossing, as in ordinary suspenders. The brace-strap 0 passes through openings d e and under straps A, the ends of all straps being attached as hereinbefore explained. By this arrangement a free upward and downward movement of the slide buckle is allowed; consequently the position of the brace-strap on the back of the wearer may readily be changed.

The whole arrangement of the webbing through the slide-buckle is made as loose as possible, so that the movement of the shoulders upon the crossed supporting-straps will tend to move the slide-buckle and brace-strap to their proper positions, which vary with the bodily position of the wearer. Thus in stooping or bending the supporting-straps slide in the buckle and accommodate themselves to the motion caused by such stooping or bending. The length of the brace-strap remains permanently as adjusted, and therefore, whatever the movement of the supportingstraps, always keeps the same tension across the back, and that without galling or chafing.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified form of my invention,which is more especially adapt ed for ladies wear, and in which the supporting-straps are confined between the buckle X, through the ends of which the brace-strap is passed, and the said brace-strap,thus forming an extremely loose connection between the several parts of the brace The purpose of this modification is to allow the supportingstraps free and unconfined play over the shoulders of the wearer, while at the same time the tension of the brace-strap is permanent and affords an unvarying support.

In my invention I do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, a cross brace-strap attached at front and rear to the supportingstraps, for thisI know to be old., The gist of my invention rests in the idea of so arranging the three straps forming the brace that they will automatically adjust themselves to the varied bodily positions of the wearer, both horizontally and vertically; and with this in view I claim as novel and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the two supportingstraps, of a brace-strap having loops atits ends, by which it is loosely connected in front to said supporting-straps, and a slide or buckle, substantially as described, adapted to loosely combine all of the said straps without rigid attachment, whereby an automatic adj ustment of any or all of said straps is possible, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the supportingstraps A and the brace-strap 0, having loops ED YVIN D. PARROTT.

WVitnesses:

S. S. XVILLIAMsoN, R9121. HUBBARD. 

